Angel tree keeps giving

This has been Dina's project from day one.

Richardine Singleton-Brown started the Charleston School of Law's angel tree project in 2005 when she was a 35-year-old part-time law student. Now a full-time student, Dina put the wraps on a third angel tree project last week with an amazing collection of 2,342 gifts from the Charleston School of Law community.

And it all came on the back of the School of Law's semester exams. But last week, Singleton-Brown was the center of attention on the Christmas present-covered stage of the Sanders-Clyde Elementary School auditorium. She ran the show, directing the presentation of all of those gifts.

James Beck/The Post and Courier

Sanders-Clyde Elementary School second-graders (from left) Nyasia Wilder, Javier Gathers and Javante Grant spend time with Santa Claus during the Charleston School of Law's angel tree ceremony and gift presentations in the Sanders-Clyde auditorium on Dec. 14

Singleton-Brown's story is heart-warming itself. At 37 years old and married, the James Island High School and College of Charleston graduate is about a year away from graduating from the School of Law. She attended law school her first two years as a part-time student while working full-time for Charleston County. Finally, this fall she ended 7 1/2 years of full-time employment with the county and became a full-time law student.

With all of that, Singleton-Brown still found time to guide this year's special Morris-Mulkey-Nussbaum Angel Tree Project, just as she had directed the last two angel tree projects.

With Singleton-Brown on the stage, first-year Sanders-Clyde associate principal Melvin Middleton directed things from the floor, calling grades to the front to receive gifts and talk to Santa Claus, while Sanders-Clyde teachers and officials along with School of Law students helped.

This year's project had special meaning for the School of Law family. It had lost three members in the past year.

Wayne Morris, the husband of School of Law registrar Janet Heaslip, died this fall. Capt. Louis Mulkey was the husband of third-year law student Lauren Mulkey. He was among the nine firemen who perished in the Sofa Super Store fire. Third-year law student Angela Nussbaum, the editor of the Law Review, was the victim of a fatal automobile accident this fall.

"We dedicated this year's project to three people who passed away who were instrumental in the project from day one," Singleton-Brown said.

"Louis would always get the fire trucks to help us. This was the first year without him."

A number of other firemen and policemen participated with a form of Santa Claus parade, escorting the happy man in the red suit from the School of Law on Mary Street to Sanders-Clyde on nearby Nassau Street where more than 300 kids and parents were waiting. The parents and children were treated to barbecue dinners by the School of Law. But the big occasion was the presentation of gifts to the students.

"We got the kids' wish lists from the school (Sanders-Clyde) and the law school students provided the gifts. People in the law school community also donated cash," said Singleton-Brown.

Singleton-Brown and the School of Law gathered a similar number of gifts last year for Wilmot J. Fraser Elementary School after making presentations a year earlier at Chicora Elementary School. The angel tree project is sponsored by the Black Law Student Association.

While the School of Law provided most of the presents for Sanders-Clyde, some special items were given by Mount Pleasant's Stella Maris Catholic Church, Trident Technical College and Saint Andrew's Presbyterian Church.

Families also were given approximately 200 food boxes of hams, turkeys and other groceries. Lee Distributing Company provided the boxes in conjunction with Piggly Wiggly.

"We appreciate the generosity of all of the organizations," said Middleton. "It was a tremendous success. Every child who came left with something, even siblings who don't attend the school."

Reach James Beck at jdbeck@postandcourier.com or 843-937-5540.